FN hipower serial number lookup

[captainstashu]

I have a nice well used FN Hipower that I picked up several years ago. I am curious to find out its history and age. It is military surplus without any import marks on it.

The serial number is T324477. The grips have the numbers 10 BN on one side and KK-7 on the other. they apparently have red paint on the fli sides.

I know these are probably military rack numbers but I am not sure. If anyone can give me some information on it I would appreciate it,

 

[reverendbeer]

I have a nice well used FN Hipower that I picked up several years ago. I am curious to find out its history and age. It is military surplus without any import marks on it.

The serial number is T324477. The grips have the numbers 10 BN on one side and KK-7 on the other. they apparently have red paint on the fli sides.

I know these are probably military rack numbers but I am not sure. If anyone can give me some information on it I would appreciate it,

Trying to figure out FN HP Serial numbers are an exercise in futility. For a long time FN would serialize orders as desired, and they didn't keep good records. You're pretty much stuck with using design elements to come up with a date range...which will still likely encompass several years.

Does it have an internal or external extractor? Does the forward area of the slide have a small scallop in it? Pics might help...

 

[somd_mustangs]

That's a weird S/N.
T-series started in 1964
See here:
http://www.browning.com/support/date-your-firearm/hi-power-pistol.html

after about mid-50's FN took much greater care in serial numbers.
Before that it was mostly based on contract numbers, e.g. you could have the same "serial number" for different guns.

 

[captainstashu]

I think it probably does date to the early sixties. One of the sites noted a large number of West German guns were released. They came to the U.S. but were not import stamped. That's all I know. I will try to get pictures up, but may take a few days.

I have it over at A1 Guns in Brentwood. Ot will be a few days.

Thanks

By the way, does anyone know the significance of red paint on the inside of the wood grips? Some one thought that was important.

 

[Bob A]

Here's a nice link: http://proofhouse.com/browning/index.html

But it won't help you, as your number is outside the list.

I have a Hi-Power with a T number that is also outside the list. Came from Israel, via Cole. The slide number matches the frame, but it appears to have been hand-stamped after the fact. Whoever did it knew what he was doing, the fitting is fine. The slide is also without much info, no Star of David stamp; I suspect it was "sanitised" for reasons I can only guess at.

 

[ken792]

The red paint was protective. It protected the wood and probably the metal too. Wood holds moisture, so it can otherwise trap moisture against the frame.

Coles Distributing imported a lot of Hi Powers from Israel. I don't believe they import marked them. A lot of those Israeli Hi Powers are well worn, but I've also seen ones that looked unfired. A lot of them were parkerized in rebuild.

As far as the serial number being weird, I've seen a few Israeli surplus ones from Coles which had serial numbers that didn't quite fit into what Browning has on their website.

 

[Threeband]

The red paint on the inside of the grips was normal/standard for many, many years. I think it was intended to seal the grain. Anyway, it mainly serves to authenticate the grips as original.